Capture Video Blog

YouTube and Your Business

Did you know that YouTube is the second most popular search engine after Google? That means not only are people going there to watch cute cat videos, people are going there to find information and learn.

Did you also know that Google owns YouTube? They have a complicated marriage where YouTube talks to Google, but Google doesn’t really affect YouTube. So having an active page and presence on YouTube can strongly affect your Google ranking. How important is search engine optimization (SEO) to your business marketing strategy? If it is a major concern, then YouTube is an opportunity to both share your message and make sure your customers can find it. Continue reading “YouTube and Your Business” »

Tags: brand strategy, capture video, Cost effective, dc, Investment, jessica piscitelli robinson, marketing, northern virginia, nova, Online Marketing, production company, promos, Quality, va, video, Video Ad, video for SEO, video production, videographer, virginia, www.capture-video.com
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7 New Ideas For Valuable B2B Blog Posts

By Monika Jansen, Jansen Communications

(First published on “Grow Smart Business”)

If you’ve been blogging for a while, it can be easy to get stuck in a rut and develop writer’s block. Coming up with new topics all the time – that is hard! To jump-start your creative juices, I’ve put on my thinking cap and done some research to present you with new ideas. Here is the first of two blog posts that will help reinvigorate your blog:

1. Designate days or weeks for certain topics

Depending on how often you blog, you could choose a specific subject for each day of the week, or, if you blog once a week, each week of the month. By giving yourself more structure around topics, it might be easier to come up with blog posts ideas.

2. Let Google Analytics be your guide

Look at the traffic on your website to see what pages web visitors are not only visiting, but spending the most time on, and write blog posts based on your findings.

Continue reading “7 New Ideas For Valuable B2B Blog Posts” »

Tags: blogging, communications, marketing, Monika Jansen
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Keeping Godzilla at Bay

The following is a blog by Kate Tallent, of KTD Creative.

Have you ever had a run-in with Godzilla? This has happened to me on occasion. Recently I was meeting with a client, asking questions that would form the basis for a new web site design. An hour into the discussion the client stated that the questions seemed tedious and that he did not know why his project would entail so much research and preparation for what was merely a “site refreshment.”

I replied that he had contracted my firm to produce a new site, not a “refreshment,” at which point the client became Godzilla. He roared. He got angry. According to Wikipedia, “the most notable of Godzilla’s … abilities is his atomic breath: a powerful heat ray of fire from his mouth.” Cue special effects. I was feeling the heat ray. Ouch.

Frustrated, Godzilla jumped up and ran to his computer, where he tried to find emails about a “web site refreshment.” Instead he found a proposal, contract and questionnaires his staff had completed that were used to form a creative brief — also among the emails.

illustration by Val Bochkov

The paper trail was there. Godzilla backed down. Returned to his human form, the client and I resumed a discussion about the new site. We reviewed the creative brief together.

I should mention that I like this smart, committed client a great deal. But he juggles many projects and manages a large staff. The afternoon of the meeting, he was having a terrible day. Having them myself, I can relate. But the paper trail saved designer face. Had I not had the creative brief, as well as the contract and proposal, this busy CEO might have dismissed my firm. As it was, he and I reviewed the creative brief, and he added items for consideration. The project could get started.

The creative brief has that power. It ensures that you and the client are on the same page — and therefore stops any Godzilla eruptions in their tracks. So what is a creative brief, and why do you need one after you have the necessary proposal and contract?

Continue reading “Keeping Godzilla at Bay” »

Tags: Creative Brief, KTD Creative
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Nurturing Creativity

The following is a blog by Kate Tallent, of KTD Creative.

Creativity is a funny thing. For that matter so is graphic design. It inhabits a weird netherworld of a profession where it looks really easy when done really well — I think of it as figure skating in that way — but is actually pretty demanding: requiring research, analytical thinking, discipline, constant practice, and ample amounts of intuition. All that before any knowledge of software.

Many clients have no idea, nor appreciation for, what we designers go through just to pull decent ideas out. We are an underappreciated profession, and thus our work is not valued as much say as a lawyer or dentist, but I think we are all savvy enough to know the value we creative types bring to a brand.

Nike gets it. For every item sold in a store a huge percentage of the cost of that running shoe covers design and marketing. Look at what Under Armor spends to compete with Nike in terms of marketing. Gobs of cash. A lot is at stake as brands compete for market share.

Continue reading “Nurturing Creativity” »

Tags: creativity, designer, graphic design, KTD Creative
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Learn the Art of Storytelling

Though Jessica Piscitelli Robinson’s primary job is producing videos for, and let’s not forget, running, Capture Video, in her spare time she is a storyteller and a storytelling coach.

Through Better Said Than Done, Jessica hosts and performs in shows that revolve around storytellers sharing true and personal stories. Better Said Than Done has recently celebrated it’s 2 year anniversary, and was voted one of the “Best Performance Acts in Virginia” by Virginia Living Magazine for 2012 and 2013.

Over the past two years, Jessica has worked with many students of the art of storytelling in Better Said Than Done’s storytelling workshops. In each workshop, students learn the basics of good storytelling – from structure, to character building, creating drama, to figuring out where to start. Jessica’s background in screenwriting, fiction writing, and storytelling are all part of what make her a qualified storytelling teacher, and her experience conducting interviews for client videos make her a great coach.

Here’s what one student had to say about the storytelling workshop:
“I really enjoyed your class. It was so interesting learning about the nuances to storytelling. And the way you get us right into it was great! Great class for those that need a new hobby, or for those that want to increase their speaking impact!” -FD

Jessica will be leading a storytelling workshop on May 11th.

Spotlight on You – Telling the story of your life
May 11th, 2013
11:00AM – 3:30PM
2709 Hunter Mill Rd.
Oakton, VA
$75.00 (Lunch Additional)

A half-day workshop where you will learn structure, character building, and how to win the audience over, through our teacher’s method of storytelling coaching. For storytellers of all levels. Students should come with an idea for a story and will leave with a story ready to tell.
For more information, click here.
To register, click here.
Continue reading “Learn the Art of Storytelling” »

Tags: capture video, producer, storyteller, storytelling teacher, storytelling workshop, video production
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The Things You Didn’t Know You Didn’t Know

One of the aspects of planning a video that often gets cut is the pre-production phase. Budgets are tight. The video your company is planning is relatively simple.

Or is it? How do you know?

You’ve come in with a plan and a general idea of what you want your video to be like. When we set up the schedule, you’ll get what you ask for to create the vision you have and what you believe you need. The question is, will the video you’ve envisioned do the job you really need done?

Pre-production services provide your company with professional guidance and understanding of the process beyond what is included in your free consultation. Pre-production covers fundamentals such as helping you develop a budget that will really deliver the finished product that you need, script consultation and writing, storyboarding, scheduling crew and equipment that may go beyond the standard one man camera package, or finding you the right on screen or voiceover talent, if that is what would be best for your end product.

How many people are going to be involved in the approval process before this video can go live? If you’re going to need the approval of a board or committee, how much money would ultimately be saved if the entire creative plan were developed and approved before a single frame were captured?

If your video production is going out to the public, think about the things you don’t know about video production and ask what pre-production services would be right for your project. Proper planning and design up front often saves money in the long run.

Continue reading “The Things You Didn’t Know You Didn’t Know” »

Tags: capture video, corporate video, pre-production, producer, production company, va, video production, virginia, www.capture-video.com
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Using YouTube

Jessica Piscitelli Robinson is giving a presentation this Friday, April 19th, at the Women’s Network of Alexandria Luncheon.
If you’d like to learn a few trade secrets on using the best free marketing tool in the world, come to the luncheon.

Details and Registration here.

In 2013, Capture Video Inc. celebrates 13 years of providing the DC Metro area with video production and management services.

Jessica Piscitelli Robinson is the owner of Capture Video, Inc., a media production company specializing in online video since 2000. During Capture Video’s first decade of business, Jessica has produced educational and promotional videos for such diverse clients as the U.S. Geological Survey, Georgetown University, Capital One Bank, Cisco Systems, and DC Superior Courts. She has been named one of Washingtonian Magazine’s best videographers through her wedding video venture Jessica Pi Productions. An accomplished writer and storyteller, Jessica is the CEO of Better Said Than Done, Inc., a Virginia based storytelling performance group voted one of the “best performance acts in Virginia” by Virginia Living Magazine 2012 – 2013. She was recently selected as a Finalist in the “Emerging Leader” category for the Fairfax Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Citizenship Awards.

Tags: capture video, corporate video, jessica piscitelli robinson, northern virginia, Online Marketing, production company, va, video for SEO, videographer, www.capture-video.com
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Lucky 13!

Capture Video, Inc. has finally reached maturity. We are celebrating 13 years of video production.

Back when we first started producing corporate videos, some of them still went on VHS tape. DVDs were around, but not everyone was using them, and certainly, most corporations did not have DVD drives in their computers. THAT would’ve been crazy. So we made VHS tapes for conference rooms and trade show displays. These days, we produce a mix of DVD, Blu-Ray or all digital masters for our clients. The only VHS requests I ever get are for converting old VHS tapes to a newer format.

We have been producing video for online content since the early months of 2000, but back then, it was very important to keep file sizes down to 4MBs or there was just no way anyone would be able to download and view it on their computer. These days, companies need to have video on their website or a YouTube channel to be relevant, to the search engines at least, but also to their clients, sponsors, donors, and investors. And the file size is not so much of a concern anymore, thanks to high speed internet. It really is nice to not have to listen to that annoying dial noise while trying to “connect.”

Continue reading “Lucky 13!” »

Tags: capture video, corporate video, Inc., promotional video, training video, video production
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Is Your In-House Talent … Talented?

One of the pre-productions services we offer is casting.

Very often a customer will intend to use in house people. This can be fine if it’s an internal training video. Trainers have experience in their expertise and adding a camera won’t really change their presentation. On the other hand, if the video is for external use, like to encourage donors and sponsors, or act as your marketing demo, real actors are worth every penny in the polished performance they can deliver.

Actors have experience in front of a camera. You’d be surprised how often people are intimidated by knowing a camera is recording them. It can change everything about their body language and their delivery. They are uncomfortable looking directly at the camera rather than at a person. If it is important that a certain person be on camera, such as your CEO, there are ways to make the process more comfortable. The session can be scripted as an interview, for example. Unfortunately, there is no way to know if there is going to be a problem until the crew and cameras are already in place, and being paid.

Real actors understand how long the process will take. If you’ve never made a video, you are only thinking about how long it will take you to actually say your 30 seconds worth of information. It is never that easy. It will always require multiple tries even for something simple. Try it this way…That word is awkward…Sorry, how does it start again?… there are always factors that will require multiple takes. Experienced actors are prepared for this and ready to do the job for as long as it takes to get it right. Informal talent aren’t always prepared for the time investment and potential frustration of multiple takes. And really, after the first few takes, people without the training have a hard time taking the process seriously. That’s going to affect your end result.
Continue reading “Is Your In-House Talent … Talented?” »

Tags: actors, capture video, promos, talent, training videos, video production, voiceover
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Who Do You Need?

The size of the crew who will shoot your video can vary widely according to the finished product you need. Some of the jobs will be very obvious, and some of them might not.

Camera Operators- How many cameras will be recording depends on the number of people and locations that need to be shot and how much they overlap.

Lighting Director- Sometimes natural light or office lighting are sufficient for a production. But if you need a scene to create a certain feel, or if you want your interview subjects to stand out, in a good way, or you want to make a bland background look just a little nicer, you need a great lighting director.

Director- Do you need a director? It is recommended if you have multiple camera people who need to be coordinated. They can be critical if you’re recording scenarios with actors, or really any time your production is more complicated than individuals talking directly to the camera.

Sound Engineer- The sound engineer runs the sound mixer. When there are multiple audio streams, they’ll go through the sound mixer so that the volume of all the speakers is consistent, the background noise stays background, and the final product sounds clear, balanced, and professional.

Teleprompter Operator- People often think the teleprompter is completely automated. The operator is actually what makes the system work well. They can adjust the scroll speed or pause the text if the reader stumbles. It’s a bit like having a DJ over just running a mix tape, they can customize on the fly and adjust as the situation changes.

Talent- Usually this means actors or hosts, people who are experienced in delivering a camera ready performance. Sometimes, it’s the interviewer. People rarely realize what it takes to conduct a good interview. The interviewer has to be able to really listen to the responses given and then ask the right follow up questions to bring out the really important or interesting information. That’s what will make or break a daytime talk show, and sometimes it can make all the difference in the effectiveness of your video production. Give this some consideration when you are deciding who will do what for your corporate video.
Continue reading “Who Do You Need?” »

Tags: camera operator, capture video, dc, jessica piscitelli robinson, northern virginia, nova, producer, production company, promos, training videos, va, video, video production, videographer, virginia, www.capture-video.com
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